LOOKING ON TO FEBRUARY 11TH
Matthew 25:13-40 “A man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his goods; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” As he said these things he cried out: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
It is no secret that the Lord wants us to be courageous in our faith and to utilize our endowments to grow in closeness to Him but to also be in touch with our own talents, no matter how vast or meager, and bring others to the faith; bring glory to the wealth of His Kingdom. This coming Sunday we encounter one of the Parables Christ brings forth to His disciples to help instruct them, and His Church, on the need for courage and trusting in the Lord’s will for us.
In the Gospel reading, we see a wealthy merchant entrusting his goods to three of his servants. If we are to look at the Greek word for ‘goods’ in this parable, it is understood that the merchant was not just providing some of his goods to these stewards, rather entrusting the entirety of what he owned to them. This was no small transaction. Just like the Lord Who has an abundance of faith to give us, much is expected from us to reciprocate this faith.
The first two servants showed courage and faith in their ability to bring more profit to their master. They understood the task, they loved their master, and were moved to be fruitful with the amount that was given to them. The third servant, however, lacked the courage to move forward, perhaps even upset that specific instruction was not given to him, buried what was given to him in the sand, and was content to just give it back to his master in the end.
Archbishop Dimitri of Dallas writes of this account: Although the master apparently did not tell the servants what to do, the first two, taking advantage of their freedom while recognizing their role as stewards of his money and desiring to please him whom they loved and trusted, worked diligently to prove themselves good servants. The third, on the other hand, was not so happy to be left on his own, wished he had been told exactly what to do and accomplished nothing. To him, the master was a hard man. Without telling him what to do, he yet expected something from him. He reaped where he had not sown, that is, because he was the master, some people spared no effort to do what they perceived as his will. The unprofitable servant could have at least sought counsel, so that he could do something for his master, but he so lacked confidence that he was afraid. He decided it was better to do nothing and just return the money.
This too is asked of us as stewards of the Church. Through our life in the Church to be aware that much is given to us, and with this abundance, to be courageous in our service to the Lord. Not to be envious of those who may have been given a greater ability, or to be fearful to use what was given to us, but to be content with our own talents and to utilize them in charity and love towards our neighbor.
Archbishop Dimitri concludes: God calls us and gives us responsibilities according to His gifts and to our own endowments. He recognizes the differences between us. The point being that we do this work because of His love for us and the love that we must return. To compare our vocation with others’ and then to fall into camps of jealous rivalries is to question His wisdom and to rebel against His will.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us take courage and believe in the healing provided us in the Church that we can overcome our passions and thus be removed from the quagmire of imagining ourselves unworthy to utilize our talents, not doubting our Master’s justice or wisdom. Christ defeating death by death was the freeing act to propel us into repentance and service. If there is hesitation to act early on, know there is great counsel in the Church to help guide us along the way. Take heart!
Let us not get caught up in jealousy of vocation seeking justice by worldly means, hunkering down into ideological camps. Trust that the Lord knows our endowments that our differences are to be used for His glory, not ours. Trust in the Lord and believe in the talents that He has given us to continue His Great Commission of making disciples of all nations. Let us not be afraid to trade with them.
Finally, let us break free of the habit of serving the Church with the worldly eyes of American style, skeptical economics that practices austerity for austerity’s sake burying our goods in the sand. But with faith and love draw near to Him investing our talents in our parishes and missions, investing in God’s people, knowing that this will be returned eternally.
Our ability to serve and support the Church is a gift, come near to the Lord and with our blessed actions bringing others with us giving them the opportunity to see the true faith so that the Lord may declare us all good and worthy servants.
Rev. Dn. Chris Purdef
